She’s had enough of watching hundreds of people a day risk their life crossing four lanes of busy traffic just to get too and from Green Square Station in Alexandria. So known as someone who gets things done in the community, business owner Juliet Barr of Wildwood Designs at 16 O’Riordan Street, Alexandria has started a petition to lobby the Roads and Maritime Department for safe pedestrian access to Green Square Station on the O’Riordan Street and Bourke Road sides of the station.

Deadly crossing photo outside Green Square station at Corner of Bourke and O'riordan St. Picture from Central Magazine story Feb 2012

Juliet says, “It is terrifying watching people cross O’Riordan Street. Cars, trucks and tourist buses whiz by so fast, many on their way to the airport, totally distracted and with no respect for pedestrians. People have to navigate their way across four lanes of traffic coming at them from various directions. I have come within an inch of my life crossing this road myself. I thought it was safe to cross then a ute appeared from no where and nearly cleaned me up! It is only a matter of time before someone is killed here. There is no safe way to cross O’Riordan Street or Bourke Road. Three people have been hit and it is just a horrendous situation which I am determined to fix.”

Pedestrians running between on coming cars and across 4 lanes of traffic outside Green Square Station on O'riordan St, Alexandria

“We can email you the petition forms if you phone my shop on PH:83949411 or come in and sign the petition to help this worthy cause. We have over 800 signatures as of the 20th of March 2012”, says Juliet.

Since it is blatantly obvious how dangerous it is for pedestrians on the roads outside Green Square Station, this campaign for safe crossings has received a lot of media coverage in recent weeks in February and March 2012. The story has run on the front page of Central Magazine which is distributed through out the Sydney CBD. It has also featured in the Daily Telegraph and 2GB talkback host CHRIS SMITH has vowed on-air to help get pedestrian crossings installed. Sydney’s TEN NEWS crew also exposed the deadly situation that commuters face everyday on the roads outside Green Square Station and the buck passing by the RMS.

A woman running for her life across O'riordan St, to get to Green Square Station. Notice no crossing.

Juliet says, “The Sydney City Council have told me that they have been asking for pedestrian crossings outside Green Square Station since 2005. They blame the Roads and Maritime for not wanting to pay for them and waiting for a developer to fund the crossings. In my opinion it is not okay as DA’s can last for 5 years and how many people will be killed in the meantime. The RMS must act immediately to install safe crossings around Green Square Station. With over a billion dollars worth of development going ahead now around this station it is mandatory that the commuters who use this station have safe access to it.”

“As the representative for the people who use this station, I am determined to keep the pressure on the RMS until this is sorted. I have put in a meeting request with Roads Minister Duncan Gay to get a committment that something will be done to make getting to and from Green Square Station as safe as possible for pedestrians.”